Barbara-lou Nivison, known as Balu, is a qualified social worker, an Honours graduate from University of Cape Town and Rhodes University, South Africa. Balu is the daughter of the well-respected philanthropist, phenomenal fundraiser, and anti-drug campaigner Adelle Searl.  Balu is also the great-great granddaughter of Louis Gardner who was the first Jewish Mayor of Cape Town.

After winning the final year dance award at Rhodes University, she went on to complete the Community Dance course at the Laban College in London. Balu returned to South Africa during the height of apartheid with the intention of creating an integrated dance troupe, working toward healing the scarred and divided South African psyche. She was a leading force in the 1986 ground-breaking production “Abamanyani” (Unity), which played a significant role in changing the socio-cultural landscape of dance in South Africa. This heralded Balu’s involvement in a spate of “struggle” productions. Her choreography for “Wild Honey” won a nomination for a Vita award in 1991. Balu has been teaching dance and running transformational workshops for the past 34 years, using dance as a vehicle for creative expression, healing and transformation.  

Balu is committed to creating a sustainable methodology as a practice to live and to

teach by.  Balu has also worked with movement as a therapeutic medium with clients at an eating disorders unit, as well as running ongoing classes and “Beloved of the Soul, Art of Connection” workshops. She designed and facilitated a ‘coming of age’ program called “Roots and Wings” for grade 10 girls from the Waldorf school. 

In 2015, Balu co-founded the Indoni Dance Arts and Leadership Academy (IDALA) in Cape Town, investing in youth empowerment, development, and general enrichment of township communities. Balu is currently Director of Development, as well as teaching regular classes. Indoni won a prestigious Ministerial Award for ‘Outstanding Service to Youth Cultural Affairs. In the same year, Balu won two Western Cape Cultural Affairs Ministerial Awards for ‘Best Contribution to Cultural Activities’ and a special award for ‘Outstanding Achievement of Women in Arts and Culture’. 

Balu is a qualified yoga teacher. She is also a clothing designer with a longstanding fashion brand. Balu recently co-authored and published a popular siddur, a Jewish prayer book with spiritual commentary.

Balu introduction